Miyu's Wish (25 page)

Keil, I’m so sorry. But I’m coming home. You don’t have to worry. I’m coming home.

Chapter Thirty-One

I
 
forced a cheerful smile on my face and returned to my friends. They welcomed me back happily and then dragged me outside to find our dates. Clarence was waiting patiently by the punch bowl. After sipping the cup of eggnog he handed me, we walked out to the dance floor. We held each other, clumsily at first, and swayed gently to the mellow music. Kimberly would occasionally waltz by with her date and flash a smile, or Candace, or Mary, but after a while, it could have been just the two of us there, set adrift from the world.

We took a break when the faster songs began playing and decided to step outside for some fresh air. The air was cold and still, and our words hung before us in white puffs as we spoke.

“You know, Miyu, I’m having a great time tonight,” Clarence said as we strolled by the football field.

I took his arm and smiled. “I am too.”

He stopped and looked at me with hopeful, unsteady eyes. “Would you like to do this again? I mean, try dating… maybe?”

I pulled away slightly, unsure of what to say. “Well, I…”

He suddenly looked panicked. “Oh, Miyu, it’s no big deal! Just an idle thought, really.”

I froze in place and let him walk up to me, wishing I could explain everything—that I wouldn’t be around for much longer. Instead, I smiled radiantly into his darling face. “Of course, Clarence. I would love to go out with you again.”

He gaped, then grinned, then gazed at me tenderly as his mouth slowly closed. He lowered his face, and I shut my eyes, standing on my toes as his warm lips pressed into mine. For a fleeting instant, I felt as complete as a woman could feel. But then our lips separated, and reality returned; a single tear dripped down my face.

“Are you OK?” he asked, looking confused as I swept it away.

I nodded. “Of course, silly. I’m wonderful.” I then took his hands and pulled them around me.

As we gazed into each other’s eyes, a falling star passed overhead.

Hand in hand, we returned to the ball.

“Want to try one of the faster numbers?” Clarence asked playfully, shaking his head to the music and looking altogether foolish.

I laughed. “Sure, just let me freshen up for a moment.”

But before I could scamper away, I heard my name. I turned to see Thad walking up to us. He seemed to be staring at Clarence, and my face blanched.

“Could I speak with Miyu alone for a moment?” he asked.

Clarence seemed perplexed, but he recovered quickly. “Is that OK with you, Miyu?”

I nodded reluctantly, regarding Thad with a cool expression. “Yes, but it
will
only be a moment.”

Looking more uncertain than anything, Clarence excused himself and wandered off, although I could tell he was watching us from the opposite side of a group of giddy seventh graders.

“He’s changed a lot,” Thad mused, looking at me in wonder. “Even beat Duke at arm wrestling last week in the locker room.”

“What is it you want?” I asked, trying to move the conversation along.

He sighed and glanced around. “Maybe we should sit down.”

Biting my lip, I followed him to a couple of folding chairs near the perimeter of the dance floor.

“I just feel I owe you an explanation,” he said, sitting himself down. “About the night of the carnival, and what I said to you later.”

I eased myself into the adjacent chair and glowered at him. “You said some pretty awful things.”

“I know. But I didn’t mean them. It’s just that the truth is too unbelievable.”

I stared at him blankly.

“What I mean,” he continued in a lower voice, “is that something happened that night you saved Kimberly—something I don’t think you’re even aware of.” He stared at me, as if testing whether I really understood what he was referring to.

I finally had to shake my head. “Thad, what are you talking about?”

He sighed again. “When you
resuscitated
her, you don’t remember anything strange happening?”

I looked down at the floor, wanting to hide my reddening cheeks. “No. It’s all a blur, and then I passed out.”

“Well,” he said, “maybe I shouldn’t even tell you, but…”

I stared back up at him impatiently. “What?”

He swallowed hard. “I saw you…transform. There was a flash of light—I thought it was lightning—but you were there, and then you weren’t. In your place was someone else…or rather,
you
were someone else.”

I gaped at him, remembering what Kimberly had told me before. “Someone else?”

He fidgeted awkwardly in his seat and looked pensively at the dance floor. “Yeah, as you gave her CPR, you became some… some
dude
. With scraggly, red hair. I was weirded out and don’t remember much more, but after a moment of, um, resuscitation, he just suddenly vanished. And you were you again.”

Feeling queasy, my mind raced back to that evening. All I could remember was Kimberly’s deathly pale face, and those cold, wet lips.
And my fear of losing her forever.
I squirmed uneasily in my chair.

“Look,” he said. “I know this must sound crazy. And maybe I was just seeing things. But that’s the reason I brushed you off that day. Not because I was really envious. I’m sorry for what I said before, and for avoiding you.” And with that, he rose and began to walk sheepishly away.

“Thad?”

He turned. “Yeah?”

I stood up and gazed guiltily at him. “I misjudged you, and I’m sorry too.”

He shrugged. “Don’t apologize. You’ve helped me.” He then grinned. “I’m trying not to be such a bully.”

He turned and strolled casually away. I watched him wistfully, wondering what could have been. As I stood befuddled, Kimberly stepped in front of me looking strangely disquieted.

“I couldn’t help but notice you two were talking,” she said anxiously. “Are you going to be alright?”

I studied her vibrant eyes, her pouty lips, her golden locks of resplendent hair, the cute way she was feverishly watching me, and with the barest realization of what I was doing, I walked up and gave her a tremendous hug. Her entire body seemed to enclose around me.

“Oh, Miyu!” she exclaimed, cuddling me tight. “What happened? Did he say something mean?”

“Kim,” I said, looking into her face. “Please promise you will always treat people with the same kindness you’ve shown me in these final months, and look out for those who need help.”

She gave me a questioning look. “OK…Miyu…”

I sighed regretfully. “I better go find my date.”

I walked off a little halfheartedly, and wondered what glorious destiny awaited her.

Chapter Thirty-Two

R
attled and tired, I spun through the ball’s final hour as if dancing in a dream.

“How are you feeling?” Clarence asked as we posed for a picture with Santa.

“Never better,” I smiled. But by the time we finished the last dance of the evening, I was ready to go home. We waved good-bye to Kimberly, Marlene, the Twins—everyone. And looking as jolly as St. Nicholas himself, Clarence took my hand and escorted me to the parking lot. I turned and watched my friends scatter behind me as they searched for their own awaiting vehicles, and I suddenly wanted to run after them. I was a phony, an imposter everyone thought they knew, and now someone whom they’d likely never see again.

Mr. Arnold chatted affably as we drove home, asking too many questions and reminding me just a little of my mother. I
did my best to play along agreeably, but by then my dire mood was beginning to show.

“You don’t look well,” Clarence said softly.

I smiled and caressed his hand. “I’m just very tired.”

I felt the car stop and realized we were in my driveway.

“Awfully dark house,” Mr. Arnold remarked. “You sure someone’s home?”

I smiled reassuringly. “My mom is probably just asleep in front of the TV, waiting for me. Everything is fine.” But he was right. The house was indeed black and deathly silent. The porch light was off, and even the stars seemed absent from the sky. I forced myself to open the car door.

Clarence quickly hopped out of the car and joined me as I spoke a few last words to his father. “Thank you for driving us, Mr. Arnold. I had a great time.” Clarence and I then proceeded slowly up the walkway.

“I wish this night didn’t have to end,” he said regretfully.

“I think that’s my line,” I said with a small smile.

We stopped at the front door and looked at each other.

“See you Monday, I guess?” he asked.

“Yes, of course,” I replied softly, looking awkwardly at my feet. I then felt his hand gently lift my face to meet his. The light of hope shone in his eyes, and it reminded me vaguely of something he had said a long time ago—perhaps in another time or place. And then he kissed me sweetly on the cheek.

“You know,” he said sincerely. “When I’m with you, I feel good about the future. The world seems a better place.”

I squeezed my eyes shut, blocking out the tears. “Just promise me you’ll remain the good man I know you are, no matter what happens.”

He seemed a little bewildered, but nodded. “Of course, Miyu. Anything.”

I hugged him a final time and then hurried into the house. I left the door open, watching him wave good-bye as he disappeared down the walk. The car drove off a moment later. Emitting a pathetic, profound sob, I finally released the tears I had been holding in for hours.

Taking a box of tissues, I wandered the downstairs aimlessly—disappointed my mother was nowhere to be found. I considered going up to her room, but feared what I might actually find there. My phone then buzzed; Tamara had sent me a message.

How was the dance?

I typed a reply.
Very nice. Wish you had come.

Didn’t feel up to it. Wanna do a movie tomorrow? You can pick.

I bit my lip.
OK.

Cool. We can have lunch at my place first. I have something I need to tell you.

You can’t tell me now?

It needs to be said in person. See you tomorrow.

I set the phone on the kitchen table and gradually scaled the stairs, wishing she had been at the dance.
Or was with me now.
I
glanced at Mother’s bedroom; the door was closed, and the lights were off.
Did I dare knock or peek inside?
I fretted for a second, but it didn’t matter; I was suddenly too tired, too woozy, too frazzled to walk any further than my own bed. With my last bit of strength, I plopped myself facedown on the mattress, lulled to sleep by the voices of a thousand girls calling my name.
A princess. An author. A doctor. A nun.
They all cheered and applauded as I soared overhead, seeking the lovely, throbbing glow waiting in the sky. It was like liquid sunshine saturating my soul, and I wanted to both laugh and cry all at once.
Had I succeeded?

A wonderful thought drifted out on a ribbon of light and touched me like a kiss.

Indeed, little one. Well done.

Epilogue

A
 
jazzy melody about hope and second chances buzzed from my phone, stirring me awake from a peculiar, most ponderous dream. A soft murmur, like the cry of a kitten, inexplicably left my lips as the entire production repeated itself again and again like a flipbook in my mind. I could hardly believe what I was seeing, remembering;
I had been Miyu,
the beloved girl who, along with her mother, had cruelly vanished without a trace almost three years ago.

It explained a lot, I realized, as I jumped out of bed and dashed to the mirror. Why Clarence and the others avoided talking about her. Why the middle school had a plaque dedicated to her name at the front entrance. Why, years later, it remained one of the most notorious cases of missing persons law officials had yet to solve.

I peered at my reflection, and for the faintest moment I saw her—even felt like her. The memories of my mother and my friends, going to school and talking for hours on the phone, all came flooding back as if they had just happened yesterday. My brain felt overloaded like a bursting dam, and I sank slowly to my knees, shaking under the horror and…pure joy of it all.
I had given Kimberly mouth-to-mouth resuscitation…shared a sweet kiss with Clarence.
I touched my lips, recalling how their lips had felt against mine, the lovely taste they had left in my mouth. Tears sprang into my eyes, but I willed them away.
No, that wasn’t me,
I told myself defiantly.
Not anymore.

I rose to my feet and reexamined myself, grateful to see my red-haired reflection looking back. A drop of perspiration trickled down my arm, and I bit my lip. Her soft, melodic voice was creeping slowly within me like ivy up a tree, and I instinctively swallowed—hoping to push her back down. But she was in every breath I heaved.

I grunted and forced myself to get dressed, feeling stronger as I pulled on some crisp slacks and a nice, button-down shirt. I wasn’t the handsomest guy in the world, but I looked good—attractiveness was 50 percent effort after all. I bared my teeth.
And after two years of braces, at least I had a respectable smile.